Spitfire
by Elluxion
Summary: Sometimes it's the flaws in one's character that makes her perfect ...


**Spitfire  
One-shot Fic  
Written by Elluxion  
**

* * *

Hellooo. ^^; Just a disclaimer: the characters in this story, namely Harry Potter, Ron Weasely, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Hagrid all belong to J.K. Rowling. I do not claim to own them in any way at all. This is just a fic from the exceptionally sick mind of Elluxion. *watches as a barrage of nods nearly causes an earthquake* Also, this is a completely strange pairing, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger. ^^; This happens to be my first Harry Potter fic (if you don't count one I wrote as a nine-year-old *shudders*) but I've been writing fanfiction for four years, so you can flame me and I won't leave. :P I hate newbies who say, "This is my first fic, so be nice!" It just shows that you don't have spirit or staying power. 

Anyway, I'm digressing (like I tend to) so just say whatever you want in your review. Only, _do_ review. ^^; 

Hugs and cookies,  
Elluxion 

* * *

If anyone had looked at her, they would have seen a tall, willowy witch that looked about sixteen. The crests of Hogwarts and Gryffindor were emblazoned on dark robes there were draped over a slender body. Silken wavy brown hair cascaded down her back in a thick mass, and a lock of hair fell over her intense, dark eyes that were studying a book. If they had compared this girl to another when she had been eleven, they would have been surprised. 

A sigh escaped her as she slammed the book shut. Dust and grit shot straight out of the pages, billowing into her face. "_Psychological Minds: Charming Lures_ is no help at all," she muttered, half to herself. 

Hermione Granger shoved the hair out of her eyes and made a tidy note on a blank piece of parchment. Her quill scratched over the yellowed piece of paper swiftly. 

"Hi, Hermione," came a friendly voice. The sixth-year glanced up to see Neville Longbottom, arms full of library books. "Hey, Neville," she returned. "Are you doing research on those Memory Charms?" 

"Yes. Do you have any suggestions on where I start to look?" Neville asked, looking harried. 

"Yep." Hermione thrust her parchment across the library table, and Neville leant over to take a closer look. "I've made a list of all the library books that have anything to do with psychological charms, and I've crossed out those which are completely irrelevant to the subject. _Psychological Mind: Charming Lures_ talks only about love potions, _Losing your Mind_ is completely useless - all the information's way too outdated, and the rest simply don't contain enough research information at all. But I _have_ ticked some that're great." Hermione tapped a pile of books next to her and grinned. "They have multiple copies. I'll give you the list and you go take a look." 

The frazzled look on Neville's face disappeared and he smiled. "Thanks, Hermione." 

"You're more than welcome. What are friends for?" laughed the witch. 

"Homework help," quipped a boy that sat next to her. With the same handful of freckles sprinkles across his face, a mop of red hair sitting on his head and the same lean frame, Ron Weasley hadn't changed in looks save in height. He was glaring darkly at Hermione. "Homework help that she doesn't give to her friends." 

"You didn't ask," Hermione said simply. 

"You didn't offer," Ron shot back. 

"Why should I offer when I didn't know you needed it?" 

"Isn't it obvious? Harry and I have been struggling over this for ages!" With a sweep of his hand, Ron indicated a dark-haired boy seated opposite from him. Harry Potter glanced up with startling green eyes, revealing the lightning scar embedded on his forehead. "I'm not exactly struggling with it," Harry remarked easily, holding up an identical copy of the list Hermione had given Neville. "It's magicked," Hermione hastened to explain. "It's a spell Harry did." 

"And you didn't give me the spell?" Ron turned an accusory glare at Harry. 

"Ron, we're doing this project together," Harry said dryly. "Or should I say, _I'm_ doing it." 

"Fine," Ron huffed. 

Hermione and Harry exchanged a look. 

Ron burst out laughing. 

Hermione chuckled as she returned to the stack of books she'd picked out. That was Ron for you, with his sense of humor, and his easygoing ways. 

"Flickwick assigned us an easy assignment," Harry remarked flippantly, looking through his parchment. 

"Yeah," agreed Hermione distractedly. She rolled up her parchment and slid her quill back into her bag. "I'm done," she announced amid stunned stares from Harry and Ron. 

"But we sat down - " Harry checked his watch - "Fifteen minutes ago!" 

"I know," Hermione said calmly. "I was already done with the assignment before I came in. I just wanted to double-check the sources and look through a few books I haven't looked at before. Now I'm done." 

"I wish I was Hermione Granger," mused Ron wistfully. 

She laughed and gathered her library books, holding them to her chest. She manuevered the hundreds of rows of library books with ease, having gone through them many times before. 

As she lifted her lashes to check for the shelf, she was not expecting to see a lanky young man draped across a sofa, a book poised in front of him. Hair a strange mix of silver and gold caught the lamplight and threw it over his face like an ethereal halo. Azure eyes followed the text intently, and the Slytherin crest on his robes gleamed out almost defiantly. 

_Draco Malfoy._

_What the hell is Malfoy doing in the library?_ Hermione's thoughts rebounded off inside her head incredulously. The idea of Malfoy studying was beyond her. As far as she was concerned, Malfoy was way too busy taunting non-purebloods - half-Muggles - people like _her_. 

At that point in time, Malfoy looked up. There was time for surprise to register in his azure depths before he smothered it, replacing it with the same frigid expression they always held. 

Hermione locked her eyes with his forcefully, as if daring him to say something. When Malfoy gamely stared back, Hermione broke her gaze and turned away. She could feel a spot of warmth spreading across her cheeks. 

"What are you doing here?" Malfoy drawled contempously from behind her. Hermione whirled, feeling her anger take over. "Studying," she snapped back hotly. "Is that a crime?" 

"You're quite the spitfire, aren't you?" 

"What's that got to do with you, Malfoy?" Hermione hissed in return. 

Malfoy gave her a lazy smile and turned back to his book. 

Hermione spun around, clutched her books more tightly, and stalked away. _Damn._ She was still blushing. 

~*~ 

"Sean, I'd appreciate it if you'd keep quiet," Professor Sprouts said, with a hint of impatience in her voice. Sean Finnigan blushed in response. "Sorry, Professor Sprouts." 

"Now - as I was saying." Professor Sprouts rested her hand on a package of seeds. She held them up. The seeds were a deep blue, some speckled with white - otherwise, they looked normal. 

"These are Kellatine seeds," Prof. Sprouts explained. "Nocturnal seeds that require honey to grow. They can only be planted and watered in the dark - but they can thrive in both light and darkness. Your assignment for this week is to find out more about Kellatine seeds and plants - for example, the correct way to plant them, the right amount of honey to fgive them - and turn in a full report on Friday. Then on Friday evening, we'll go to the plot of land behind Hagrid's house, and plant these seeds. Hopefully with Hagrid keeping an eye on them, they'll be all right. Kellatine seeds are fickle things." 

"Professor?" called a voice. "What are Kellatine seeds used for?" 

"Good question," Professor Sprouts said. "The flower of the Kellatine plant is known to neutralize certain types of poison. In precisely ten days, the Kellatine plant should be fully grown and matured. Ten days after this Friday, we'll go and collect sap from the flowers - and store them in bottles for Madam Pomfrey. I'll repeat this again: Kellatine plants can thrive in both light and dark, but should only be touched, watered, planted, or sapped in the evening. Should they be handled in the sunlight, the Kellatine plant will not survive." 

"Are we going to be grouped for this project?" Hermione spoke up. 

"Yes - you will be working in pairs. Now, according to the Headmaster's wishes, a Gryffindor student will be paired with a Slytherin student." Raising her voice to be heard against the groans, Professor Sprouts continued fiercely, "This is to build inter-House relationships - no complaints! It's only for five days!" 

"I don't believe it," muttered Harry from next to Hermione. 

"Five days is five days too many," Ron added. 

"Shush." Hermione drove an elbow into Harry's ribs. 

"Harry Potter," read Professor Sprouts clearly from a piece of parchment. "Jill-Sarah Lennter." 

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Jill-Sarah was one of the more tolerable Slytherins. 

"Ron Weasley." Professor Sprouts paused for dramatic effect. "Douglas Neal." 

Ron paled. "Neal!" 

"And the last pair." Professor Sprouts rolled up the parchment and gave Hermione a smile. 

"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." 

~*~ 

"I'm stuck with Neal," muttered Ron in disgust. Hermione kept silent, watching the flames crackle and jump. 

Harry sat down on one of the more comfortable Gryffindor chairs. "Come on, Ron," Harry said pacifiyingly. "Look at Hermione. She's stuck with Malfoy!" 

"I think she's in shock," Ron commented. 

Hermione raised her head to look at Ron. "I think he's right," she announced. "I'm going to bed." 

Seemingly shrouded in a half-dream, she stood, gathered her robes, and trudged up the girls' tower. 

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Harry said to Ron in a low voice. "But have you noticed that Hermione's a tad ... strange tonight?" 

"Yes," Ron agreed fervently. "I mean, being the tiger she is, she would probably have sunk her teeth into Malfoy by now. But she's been quiet the whole night. She didn't even chatter on about the 'different key elements of the hand sleight while pouring honey onto a Kellatine plant's plot'." 

Harry's eyes widened. "Something is _definitely_ wrong." 

~*~ 

"Malfoy," greeted Hermione tonelessly. 

The same lazy, almost mocking smile met her. "Granger." 

"We'd better start working on the assignment." Hermione flung her books onto a table. "Before that filthy mouth of yours opens." 

Malfoy raised his hands in self-defense. "Watch it, Mudblood," he said warningly - but there was a flash of something in his eyes he couldn't quite conceal. 

Hermione sat down, motioning for Malfoy to do the same. She looked directly into his eyes. "Look. I don't want to be fighting the whole time, okay? So let's just do the assignment, get it done by Friday, and forget that we didn't insult each other for five days. Fine?" With that, she sprang up and half-ran into the shelves. 

"Woah," Malfoy muttered to himself. The force of Hermione's intense brown eyes stunned him for a while, before the Slytherin collected his wits and chased after the girl. 

He found her bent over a lower shelf, finger trailing over spines of leather-bound books. He sat down next to her and waited patiently. Hermione pulled out one book and handed it to Malfoy wordlessly. 

Malfoy gave the book a fleeting, critical look by before setting it down between them. The process continued for a while, before four books were picked. Malfoy picked up the pile and guided Hermione back to their seat. 

Silently, Hermione picked up a quill and parchment, and spread it between them. "You want to sit here?" she indicated the seat next to her. Malfoy shrugged and crossed over to her side. 

"OK, we've got four books on Kellatine plants. You look through _Kellatine Seedlings and their Stages of Growth_, and I'll do - " 

"Why don't we do this together?" suggested Malfoy. 

Hermione tilted her face to look at him, one eyebrow raised. "Malfoy, no tricks." 

"Granger, no tricks," Malfoy imitated Hermione's skeptical tone. 

Rolling her eyes, Hermione opened _Kellatine Seedlings and their Stages of Growth_ and beckoned Malfoy close. Silverish-gold met dark as their heads bent over the book together. 

Quietly, only pausing to comment on a paragraph or two, Hermione paged through the book. She could feel Malfoy's breath on her cheek, and it was beginning to unnerve her. 

Hermione nearly let out a cat-like grin as she scanned a passage, so great was her delight. The passage detailed everything she needed to know about caring for seedlings and plants - with the exact indication of the amount of honey needed each day; how much the amount of honey lessened; when the perfect time was for it to be watered; how exactly they were to extract the sap from it. 

Malfoy shifted his head forward, as did Hermione, to get a closer look. 

Half a moment later, they were both on the floor, rubbing sore spots on their head. Draco Malfoy was, for once, shocked beyond words, and Hermione just continued to systematically rub her head, staring at him almost blankly. 

"Owch." Malfoy summed up the situation. 

"You should have been more careful," suggested Hermione caustically. 

"Me!" Malfoy gave her an incredulous look. "Look, Granger, it was your fault as much as mine!" 

"Excuse me, Malfoy, but I don't believe I - " 

"Granger, can't you get above your I-know-everything self and - " 

"Quit cutting in on me! You think you're so great, being your wonderful Malfoy self - " 

"And what about you? Just because you've topped the year - " 

Draco Malfoy stood in front of the aforementioned 'I-know-everything self', his brow deepened, breathing hard. 

Hermione Granger gamely glared back, one hand gripping _Kellatine Seedlings and their Stages of Growth_ so hard that it looked like it was about to disintergrate between her fingers. 

A chilling silence for exactly two-thirds of a second. 

_"Twenty points from Gryffindor and Slytherin - each!"_ Madam Pince came bearing down on them like a provoked tigress guarding her baby cubs. _"Now get out of my library!"_

Malfoy scowled and grabbed his books. 

Hermione's expression mirrored his as she swept up her parchment and quill. 

Both stormed to the entrance of the doorway - at the same time. Malfoy managed to get there first. Hermione tripped over him and they fell in a heap into the doorway. 

"Malfoy - " Hermione raged. 

But the Slytherin cut her off. "She's more of a spitfire than you are, Granger," he said, grinning. 

Hermione's mouth was left hanging open. Slowly, she closed it, and the Prefect regained her composure and dignity - although left speechless. 

Another silence, this time deadlier, longer. Hermione studied Draco Malfoy's face, taking in the gently teasing azure eyes, the mouth that was twitching slightly, the one eyebrow that was raised in an expression so similar to hers. She opened her mouth to say something, anything to salvage her pride, but she burst out laughing instead. 

Malfoy looked surprised, but he allowed a smile as he held a hand out. 

Hermione glanced at it. 

"For God's sake, Granger, it's not cursed!" 

She chuckled in appreciation, grabbed it, and Malfoy hauled her to her feet unceremoniously. "One more thing, Malfoy - I'm not Granger. I'm Hermione." 

"I'm Draco." 

"Fine. So for this period of time until the Kellatines bloom, we completely forget that you're a pureblood and I'm not, we completely forget that you're a Slytherin and I'm a Gryffindor, we also forget that we are deadly and mortal enemies. We shall regain our memory and sanity once the Kellatines bloom." Hermione tossed her head like a proud horse, daring Draco to protest. 

Draco shrugged again. It was becoming familiar to Hermione. "Fine." 

~*~ 

"Hermione, can we talk?" 

The witch glanced up from _Kellatine Seedlings and their Stages of Growth_. What met her eyes was a scrawny young girl, petite and thin, with a mane of unruly ginger hair. Ginny Weasley cleared a box of quills from the chair next to Hermione and sat down, her eyes serious. 

"What's wrong, Ginny?" Hermione asked kindly, closing the book. She set it atop a rolled-up parchment. It was Thursday evening, and her assignment was complete. 

"Hermione, my brother and Harry are getting worried about you." Ginny lowered her voice dramatically. 

"Whatever's wrong?" Hermione asked in dismay. She racked her brains. She hadn't done anything wrong, had she ... ? 

"Are you friends with Draco Malfoy?" she said it simply, with no trace of accusation or worry. Her calm grey eyes fixed on Hermione's widened brown ones. 

"I - I - we're simply doing this report together," Hermione returned desparately. 

Ginny nearly smiled. Hermione had to marvel at the girl's maturity and calm. "Hermione, I have no qualms about you being friends with a Slytherin. Just tell me: are you friends with him?" 

"Y - Yes. What makes you think that?" 

"You've been spending a substantial amount of time with him, outside of classes. Fifty percent of the time you're in the library. Fifty percent of the time you're somewhere else. Not to mention the greetings when you pass each other in the hallways. And the laughter. The only thing that mars the image is the cutting remarks we all hear," Ginny finished dryly. 

"It's only for these few weeks." Hermione looked down at her hands. 

"Do you _want_ to be friends with him?" 

"Heck, yes!" Hermione glanced up. 

"Why?" 

Hermione heaved a sigh. "It's hard to explain exactly, Gin. There's just - well, you can't see it exactly, but Draco's got this sense of humor. And a specific _Slytherin_ way of looking at things. I just find him fascinating - like some sort of specimen to study. But in a way, I feel guilty - like I'm betraying Harry and Ron, after they stuck up for me when Draco attacked me." 

"I don't know what you want," Ginny said seriously. "No one does. But I suggest you'd better make a decision: whether you want Malfoy as your friend, and risk Harry's and Ron's friendship, or chuck him completely aside after your project." 

Hermione nodded. Ginny smiled at her, stood up, and disappeared into the fifth-years' bedroom tower. 

_Ginny's an odd girl,_ Hermione thought. _So grown-up in so many ways, and yet so young in others._

~*~ 

"Class, be careful with the seeds, understand? I'm giving you two seeds for each pair, and you are to find a secluded area. _Spread out._ Kellatine seeds prefer having only one companion close - so make sure other pairs are well fanned out around you. Leave at least five feet between each pair of seeds. Find a nice, cool, shady place, and loosen the soil with your shovel. The weather's turning chilly, so the soil's rather dry. Do not be surprised if your seeds shoot up straightaway - ten days is a short time to live." 

Hermione took the seeds and thanked Professor Sprouts. "Over here," Draco called. He was standing behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch, leaning against the fence. Hermione joined him quickly. "This should be an okay spot, right?" 

"Yeah." Hermione knelt down and pushed her hand shovel into the soil. With a wince, she made a digging motion and freed the shovel. Soil spewed out in all places. "That hurts." 

Silently, Draco knelt beside her and took the hand shovel from her gently. Without a word, he drove the shovel into the soil. 

Hermione gave a slight smile of thanks as she turned her attention to the honey. The seeds were oddly warm in her palm. She held up a jar of honey, gave it an experimental shake and poured it carefully into a watering can designed for thick, heavy liquids. 

Patiently, she waited until Draco was done with the digging. He gave her another one of those small smiles and stood clear as she carefully nestled the two seeds close together in the soil. Uncomplainingly, Draco began to fill in the hole, and Hermione lifted the watering can in anticipation. 

He was soon done. Hermione slowly tilted the watering can over the fresh mound of dirt. Honey began to drip out of the sprout. 

~*~ 

Draco glanced up. The chilly autumn-on-the-verge-of-winter breeze pulled at Hermione's windswept hair, tugging it gently over her face. The cold was turning her nose pink - just a tiny spot on the tip of her nose. Her eyes were sparkling, and a dreamy smile - a smile that was quickly becoming familiar - had fallen on her lips. 

The view was somewhat ... _distracting._

Draco quickly averted his gaze to the watering can. From there, his eyes glided onto the handle - and then to Hermione's hands. Small, petite, slender and almost glowing white in the darkness. Perfect, long fingers - pianist's fingers, so to speak. Then Draco saw her fingernails, and he almost laughed out loud. They were bitten - jagged, unrefined edges. Her personality, really - so perfect from afar, then you take a close look and you see the flaws, and the flaws were what made her complete. 

Hermione cried out softly, drawing his attention. A tiny blue stalk had reached out from beneath the earth, curling up at her almost curiously. Draco quickly put a finger to his lips and set a hand onto Hermione's arm. _Kellatine seedlings do not thrive well with loud noises or sudden movements._ He could remember that paragraph word-for-word. 

Hermione looked up at him with a start, question marks practically burning in her pupils. "Draco - " but she was silenced again, this time with Draco putting a finger to his lips. The Slytherin allowed a coy smile to curl at his lips. The top student had forgotten that very vital fact! 

Everyone around them were tiptoeing away. Draco took their example, and led the way out of that serene area behind Hagrid's hut. 

As soon as they reached the castle steps, Hermione exploded. "What was all that shushing about, Draco Malfoy?" she asked impatiently. 

Draco grinned. "Miss Granger, Kellatine seedlings don't grow in loud environments. Everyone except the top witch of the year remembered that fact." He watched as Hermione's cheeks flushed. 

"Sorry," she muttered, not quite looking up at him. Draco was a good half-head taller than the Gryffindor. Draco gave his trademark shrug. 

"Good night, Hermione," he said, turning away. 

There was silence behind him. Draco winced. He'd really blown it this time. _I forgot that Hermione hates to be corrected._

"Wait - Draco?" 

He turned. 

Hermione beamed at him. "Thanks." 

~*~ 

"Psssst. Colin." 

"Lavender?" 

"Shut up!" Lavender Brown gave a hurried look around the Gryffindor common room. Colin Creevey crept closer, looking intrigued. 

"What's up, Lavender?" 

The school gossip gave a wide smile. "Did you see Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy on the steps last night?" 

"Lavender, I'm in fifth year - I didn't go out for the Herbology lesson," Colin explained, struggling with his patience. 

Lavender's eyes gleamed maliciously. "They were close." 

"Close?" Despite himself, Colin leant in. "How close?" 

"Very," confirmed Lavender. "Hermione was laughing - giggling," she corrected herself. "Like some sort of smitten schoolgirl. And Malfoy was grinning away, like he had Hermione around his little finger. They exchanged a few words. And," Lavender wriggled her eyebrows playfully. "They could have been pretty intimate." 

"They were _intimate_?!" 

"Hmm ... they could have been." Lavender strolled away, giving Colin a wink. "And - " she added before she left the common room completely for bed. "I heard from a very reliable source that Malfoy kissed Hermione good night." 

~*~ 

"Ernie," hissed Colin at the library three days later. Although he knew he shouldn't start rumors in that way, he simply couldn't resist any longer. 

The Hufflepuff didn't give any indication that he had heard Colin, so absorbed in his book was he. "Ernie!" Colin raised his voice. 

Ernie McMillan gave his surroundings a look, his brow deepened. He caught sight of Colin, who was frantically waving his arms at him, and nodded in acknowledgement. In a matter of minutes, Ernie was firmly established next to Colin. 

"What?" 

"Did you hear about Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger?" 

_"Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger?!"_ cried Ernie out loud. 

Colin thwacked him over the head. "Speak louder won't you Ernie, I think there was a grandmother in China that didn't hear you!" 

"Sorry," Ernie stage-whispered. His eyes were the size of a couple of Bludgers. "What about them?" 

Colin Creevey grinned, glad to be on the dishing end of gossip for once. "Rumor has it that they were pretty intimate on the school steps after the late-night Herbology lesson. Maybe they were holding hands or something. And get this: apparently, Malfoy kissed Hermione good night!" 

"What!" gasped Ernie. 

Colin Creevey's grin widened. "Yep." 

"Wow," murmured Ernie, before returning to his group of friends. 

~*~ 

"Hey! Pansy Parkinson!" 

Pansy raised her face, scanning the halls for the source of the voice. A hand clamped down on her arm and propelled her away from the human traffic. 

"Ernie McMillan!" snarled Pansy as she disentangled her arm from Ernie. "What do you want from me?" 

"Do you know anything about Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy? They're going out, I heard, and today's Friday, isn't it? Well - exactly seven days earlier, after the Herbology lesson, Draco Malfoy kissed Hermione Granger on the steps good night!" 

"Draco Malfoy _kissed_ Hermione Granger?!" 

Ernie looked flushed with victory. "Most of the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors know already," he added as an afterthought. "A bit stale on the rumor-mill, aren't you Pansy?" With that scathing remark, Ernie walked away triumphantly. 

~*~ 

"Hermione Granger," said Pansy Parkinson through gritted teeth. "I have to talk to you." 

"What?" Hermione asked cautiously. Pansy Parkinson was not known to be friendly. In fact, the Slytherin looked murderous. "You look like you've been stewing all weekend." 

"As a matter of fact, I have. You Mudblood, you knew that Draco Malfoy was mine." A blanket of serenity had fallen over Pansy. Her features were carefully blank, but her eyes were flaming. 

Hermione raised an eyebrow lazily at this cryptic remark. 

"He's still yours. Whatever you mean." 

"Not after you kissed him, he isn't!" Pansy shrieked hysterically. She whipped her wand out and pointed it at Hermione. 

"I - he - _what_?! Pansy, no need to get murderous!" Hermione backed off, hands held above her head. "I swear, I never _touched_ him!" 

"You did," Pansy said dangerously. "And for that, you're going to pay. _Sellason - _" 

"_Levitas!_" 

Hermione's wand was steady as Pansy's wand lifted clear out of her reach and flew towards her. With a graceful jump, Hermione swept the wand out of the air and faced a livid Slytherin. "Pansy, I did not kiss Draco. Isn't this somewhat ... juvenile?" 

Pansy stormed up to her, snatched the wand out of her hands, and looked like she dearly wanted to give Hermione a right hook. 

It wasn't until Pansy left the corridor when Hermione allowed herself the priviledge to lose her composure. 

~*~ 

Hermione was being especially chilly that night. And Draco had no idea why. 

"Hermione?" 

She didn't respond as they entered the Great Hall together. 

"Hermione." 

She faced him quietly, confusion and hurt mirrored in her eyes. "All I wanted was to be friends," she said in a small voice. "Why do they all have to do this?" Suddenly the sixteen-year-old sounded very, very young. 

"What?" 

Hermione turned her head and walked away from him, leaving Draco gaping at the doors of the Great Hall. 

~*~ 

"Hey, Hermione," greeted Ron. 

"Hi." 

Harry put down his fork and knife to take a lingering look at her. Ron and him exchanged several looks, and finally Harry opened his mouth to speak. "Hermione - " 

Just then, Professor Dumbledore tapped his spoon at the edge of his glass. "Students, I have an announcement to make." 

Everyone ceased their playful talk and all heads turned towards the Headmaster. 

"Professor Sprouts has received a letter from home, and for personal reasons, she has decided to take the next two weeks off. She left for home tonight. All lessons with her are to be cancelled and turned into free lessons." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "After all, Christmas _is_ approaching. That is all I have to say. Have a good evening." 

Without much comment, the students turned back to their food. Only Hermione looked inexplicably sad and tired as she lowered her head and murmured softly to herself. 

"So this is it, huh? Pick Draco, and you risk losing your friendship with Harry and Ron - which is on the rocks anyway. Chuck him aside and keep Harry and Ron. Ginny, I'm afraid I don't even have a choice. Because after tonight, I won't be able to speak to him again." 

~*~ 

The warning bell rung, indicating that all wandering students should return to their Houses immediately. Hermione simply let out another sigh as she turned around and made for Gryffindor House. 

_I don't understand those gossips. They really think nothing of ruining a friendship, huh?_ All of the Slytherins had eyed her with disdain as she exited the Great Hall that night. She didn't want to ruin Draco's friendships - if you could call them that - within his House. Neither did she want to be treated like an outcast by her own House either. _They're all paranoid. They think that friendships between Gryffindor and Slytherins can't exist. Well, damn them!_

Like a wraith wandering the halls, a lanky young man materialized in front of her. She nearly baulked as she realized it was the last person she wanted to meet. "Draco. What on earth are you doing here?" 

"Hermione! I was looking for you." 

"You were? What for?" There was nothing but a certain bitterness and frost in her voice. 

"Our Kellatine plants. I want to see how they're doing." 

"Draco!" Hermione was shocked at the audacity of the Slytherin, and yet attracted as well. 

"Listen, Hermione," Draco whispered into her ear. "I read that Kellatine plants bloom during midnight. Meet me on the front steps of Hogwarts there." 

And then he was gone. 

~*~ 

"Come on, Hermione," muttered Draco Malfoy as he rubbed his palms together in an attempt to keep warm. "Don't disappoint me." 

"Draco?" 

Draco turned and grinned when he saw Hermione, all bundled up. Her face was pale and her nose was beginning to turn pink. "Are you aware that it's winter?" 

"Not when it hasn't snowed yet, Hermione." 

Both made a quick dash for the Kellatine plants. They resembled fleeting shadows: the wizard in flying robes and a flash of silver hair, the witch with her hair soaring loose and free. As the two reached the edge of the plot, Hermione seized Draco's arm, reminding him in her own way to slow down. 

As if attuned to her thoughts, Draco did so. He gave all the plants a quick once-over - all of them towered over his head - and he felt a sense of disappointment. They were just blue spindly things with small midnight-blue bulbs - not a single flower was in sight. 

"Draco!" Hermione ejaculated softly. She raised one milky arm and pointed. Draco moved slowly, making sure not to disturb any of the Kellatine plants, and his heart was thudding with excitement as he looked. 

"Oh my God!" 

Their Kellatine plants were in exquisite perfection. Both huddled close together for cold, like they had feelings, but what excited both Draco and Hermione was the fact that they had joined together at the top. One plant was slightly shorter and slimmer than the other. From a certain point, the two plants seemed to uncertainly entwine around each other, then more confidently, then tightly with each other. Finally they seemed to merge at the top, where a beautiful flower with slender midnight-blue petals waved softly in the wind. 

"It's magical," Hermione whispered, and Draco knew she wasn't referring to the magical properties of the sap of the Kellatine plants - no, Kellatine plant. 

"It is, isn't it?" 

They were silent for a while, admiring the flower, when the clouds seemingly gave a sudden shake, and a snowflake fell on Hermione's nose. 

Draco started, and stared. 

More fell, and finally, it was a light snowstorm. "This is beautiful," breathed Hermione. She danced about in the snow, laughing quietly as she caught snowflakes on the tip of her tongue. 

Draco had to fully agree with her. The snow-flurries made a perfect backdrop for their Kellatine flower. 

And suddenly she was standing in front of him again, studying him carefully. "Did you hear the rumors, Hermione?" began Draco gently. 

She looked up, so vulnerable yet so strong. "Yes." 

"Let's make them true." Without giving her time to think, Draco bent, tucked her warmly into his arms, and smiled as he closed his eyes and dipped his head forward. Hermione raised hers, and their lips met. 

"This isn't exactly on the front steps," Hermione murmured, as Draco held her tighter when the snow fell harder and faster. He broke the embrace at last, Slytherin and Gryffindor, and held her at arm's length, just looking at her. Snowflakes were caught in her hair, and her eyes were starry. "It doesn't matter, whatever they say now." Hermione gave a low laugh and he held her again. 

"You're still my little spitfire." 

* * *

DONE - oh, bliss! :D I sat here for five hours straight completing the second draft, my rear end hurts from sitting down too long, and my brain is completely spent. *sighs* That was pretty satisfying. :D And it's long. :D 

I'm scarily hyper, aren't I? 

Well, I'm exhausted, and I knew it was way too soon that they got together. Oh well. *shrugs* It was a two-day attempt. Day one was for the first draft. Day two was for the second draft. Day three is for the actual posting of this thingamajig. 

I'm talking rubbish, aren't I? *shoots back* Try writing a fic at 10 PM and finishing at 4 AM! 

Anyway. Err ... the point of this is to tell you to review, right? So ... review. 

*falls into bed* 

Hugs and cookies,  
Elluxion 

* * *


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